Sacramento, CA Single-Use Items: Plastic Straw Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Statute
- PRC 42270
- Default
- On request only
- Penalty
- $25/day, $300 cap
- Scope
- Full-service restaurants
Summary
California Public Resources Code 42270 (Assembly Bill 1884, 2018) prohibits full-service restaurants from providing single-use plastic straws unless a customer requests one. Sacramento dine-in restaurants follow the on-request rule.
42270. For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(a) “Consumer” has the same meaning as in Section 113757 of the Health and Safety Code.
(b) “Food facility” has the same meaning as in Section 113789 of the Health and Safety Code.
(c) “Ready-to-eat food” has the same meaning as in Section 113881 of the Health and Safety Code.
(d) “Single-use” means designed to be used once and then discarded, and not designed for repeated use and sanitizing.
(e) “Single-use foodware accessory” means all of the following single-use items provided alongside ready-to-eat food:
(1) Utensils, which is defined as forks, knives, spoons, and sporks.
(2) Chopsticks.
(3) Condiment cups and packets.
(4) Straws.
(5) Stirrers.
(6) Splash sticks.
(7) Cocktail sticks.
Full Breakdown
California Public Resources Code 42270 through 42272 (AB 1884, 2018) bars full-service restaurants from automatically providing single-use plastic straws. Customers must specifically request a straw, at which point the restaurant may provide one. Quick-service and takeout-only operations are not directly covered, though SB 54 phasedowns affect all single-use plastic items more broadly. The first two violations earn warnings, then $25 per day with a $300 annual cap per location. Sacramento aligns enforcement with state law via the county environmental health department. Many restaurants have switched to paper or compostable alternatives even when not strictly required.
Violations & Fines
Automatically distributing plastic straws at full-service restaurants can result in two warnings, then citations of $25 per day capped at $300 per restaurant per year under PRC 42271.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still get a plastic straw at a sit-down restaurant?
Does the rule cover fast food?
Sources & Official References
- [1]CA PRC 42270
Other rules in Sacramento
California rules heatmap·Compare Sacramento to another location·View the California single-use items overview
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